treatmentTheory:An integrated set of ideas that explain and predict broad aspects of behavior or developmentThreats to internal validity:Characteristics of research studies that limit our ability to make causal inferences: maturation, environmental factors, repeated testing, attrition, and selection biasTreatment as usual (TAU):The most stringent type of control group in which participants are referred to practitioners in the community and receive whatever treatment they provide
Critical Thinking Exercises
1 Alisha is the mother of an 8-year-old boy who is struggling with reading and was recently diagnosed with dyslexia. Although her son is participating in a phonics-based reading program at school, his progress has been slow. Alisha’s friend told her that a therapist in town uses “vision therapy” to help children with reading problems. This therapy involves teaching children special eye-tracking skills to help them focus and encourages them to use special colored lenses to see text more clearly. “Vision therapy was a lifesaver for my nephew,” her friend reported. “It’s expensive, but it really helped him learn to read quickly. You should try it.” Why might parents pursue unsupported treatments like vision therapy to help their children? What is the danger of treatments like these?11In case you’re wondering, vision therapy is not recommended to treat dyslexia. In a joint statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology (2014) conclude: “Scientific evidence does not support the efficacy of eye exercises, behavioral vision therapy, or special tinted filters or lenses. Diagnostic and treatment approaches that lack scientific evidence of efficacy, including eye exercises, behavioral vision therapy, or special tinted filters or lenses, are not endorsed and should not be recommended.”
2 Lucas is a school psychologist who wants to determine if a before-school exercise program reduces hyperactivity among first-graders in their first-period class. How might Lucas operationally define “hyperactivity” in his study?
3 Kirby Deater-Deckard and colleagues (1996) were interested in determining the effects of harsh physical discipline (e.g., spanking) on children’s development. They found that children who received more harsh physical discipline from their parents displayed more behavior problems at school, but only if they came from European American families. There was no relationship between harsh discipline and behavior problems among African American children. How does ethnicity act as a moderator variable in this study? What might explain these different outcomes?
4 A superintendent is interested in determining if a new alcohol and drug prevention program can reduce substance use among students in her district. She randomly selects two middle schools in the district to participate in the study. Students at Absolut Middle School participate in the prevention program for 12 weeks. Students at Grey Goose Middle School, across town, do not participate in the program and serve as controls. At the end of the school year, students at Absolut reported less alcohol and drug use than students at Grey Goose. Can the superintendent conclude that the prevention program caused these differences in substance use? Why or why not?
5 Quinn is a psychology student who wants to conduct an honors project examining the moral reasoning skills of children. She hypothesizes that children with siblings will have higher moral reasoning skills than only-children. She wants to assess moral reasoning by administering a 30-minute test to each child at school. What information does Quinn need to provide in her informed consent statement to parents? How might Quinn obtain children’s assent to participate in the study?
Test Yourself and Extend Your Learning
Videos, flashcards, and links to online resources for this chapter are available to students. Teachers also have access to PowerPoint slides to guide lectures, a case study book (with answers) to prompt classroom discussions, and exam questions. Visit abnormalchildpsychology.org.
Descriptions of Images and Figures
Back to Figure
The details of the image are as follows:
In the first part, a woman points a finger at a little boy, and an arrow points from the child to the woman.
In the second part, a woman points a finger at a little boy, and an arrow points from the woman to the child.
In the third part, a woman points a finger at a little boy, and an arrow from a box that has the text parental divorce points to both the woman and the child.
Back to Figure
The details of the diagrams are as follows:
In the first part titled mediation, arrows point from ADHD to mediator, and from mediator to depression.
In the first part titled moderation, an arrow points from ADHD to moderator. Two arrows point from moderator to Depression if yes, and from moderation to no depression if no.
Back to Figure
The details of the graph are as follows:
The horizontal axis shows the various treatment used in ADHD.
The vertical axis shows the effect size from 0.0 to 1.0, in increments of 0.2.
The effect size for various treatment methods:
Neurofeedback: 0.2;
Behavior Therapy: 0.7;
Methylphenidate (e.g. Ritalin): 0.75;
Amphetamine(e.g., Adderall): 0.99.
Back to Figure
The details of the graph are as follows:
The horizontal axis shows days, from 1 to 20, in increments of 1.
The vertical axis shows percent of time on task from 0% to 100%, in increments of 20.
The values for Baseline (A) are:
Day 1: 30%;
Day 2: 22%;
Day 3: 38%;
Day 4: 22%;
Day 5: 30%.
The values for Treatment (B) are:
Day 6: 80%;
Day 7: 84%;
Day 8: 84%;
Day 9: 90%;
Day 10: 84%.
The values for Withdrawal (A) are:
Day 11: 30%;
Day 12: 28%;
Day 13: 22%;
Day
